Upholstered furniture and means for securing upholstery to frame members



Oct. 16, 1956 H. J. sl-:DLACEK 2,756,814

UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE AND MEANS FOR SECURING UPHOLSTERY TO FRAME MEMBERS Filed May 2o, 1954V 2 sheets-sheet 1 5U ,ff 5

Oct. 16, 1956 H. J. sEDLAcEK 2,766,814

UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE AND MEANS FOR sEcURlNG UPHOLSTERY TO FRAME MEMBERS Filed May 20, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TJ EL. 5. 7

IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE AND MEANS FR SECURING UPHOLSTERY T FRAME NEMBERS Henry J. Sedlacek, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to The Kalamazoo Sled Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 20, 1954, Serial No. 431,055

Claims. (Cl. 155-178) This invention relates to improvements in upholstered furniture and means for securing upholstery to frame members.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an upholstered furniture structure having a metal frame with means for securing the upholstery thereto enabling the rapid attachment of the upholstery to the frame and securely retaining it under relatively heavy loads.

Second, to provide a clip for attaching upholstery to a metal frame which may be very economically produced and quickly applied to the frame to secure the upholstery thereto with a relatively slight etort on the part of the assembler.

Third, to provide means by which a plurality of Weblike strips may be 4independently secured to a supporting frame in desired relation to each other.

Fourth, to provide a structure having these advantages in which the securing means for the upholstery is concealed.

Fifth, to provide a structure having these advantages which permits the removal and replacement of the upholstery by a relatively unskilled person without the aid of tools other than a screwdriver or like tool.

Objects Vrelating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Fig. l is a plan view of a chair embodying my invention and one in which the frame is formed of tubular stock, the joints of the ends of the tubes from which the frame parts are formed not being illustrated.

f Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view sectioned on a line corresponding to lines 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view generally corresponding to that of Fig. 2 illustrating steps in the attaching of the upholstery to a frame part.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the attaching clips.

Fig. 5 is a sectional'view of the combined seat and back frame in section on a line corresponding to line 5-5 of Fig. l, the upholstery being omitted.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through a frame member formed of extruded stock.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a frame member formed of rolled sheet metal stock.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a modified form or embodiment of my invention.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing is a chair in which the upholstery is in the form of ships of webbing 1, desirably of Woven plastic material. The pedestals or leg members 2, 2 illustrated are formed of tubular stock but as the details form no part of this invention they are not illustrated or described herein. The chair is of the swinging type, the combined seat and back being swingably suspended from ICC the pedestals or leg members but as they form no part of my invention I have not illustrated or described the same other than as indicated at 3.

The combined seat and back frame, designated generally by the numeral 4, is formed of tubular stock and comprises opposed seat side portions 5, 5 and seat back portions or uprights 6, 6, the members 5, 5 being connected at their front ends by the cross member 7 and the back members 6 being connected at their upper ends by the crosspiece 8. The seat members 5, 5 are disposed in opposed spaced relation as are also the frame end members 7 and 8. Preferably continuous grooves 9 are formed in the inner sides of these members 5, 6, 7 and 8. The grooves are desirably formed before the tube is bent into the desired shape to form the frame. The joints for the ends of the bent tubular stock are not illustrated.

The opposed frame members are provided with holes 10 for the attachment of the hangers 3 and opposed holes 11 for the upholstery retaining rod 12. The upholstery strips 1 extend between opposite frame members and are supportedly disposed thereon and around the outer sides of the frame members as is shown, for example, in Fig. 2. The ends of the strips are secured to the frame members by clips 13 of generally C-shaped section and dimensioned to springably and clutchingly engage the frame members. sponding substantially to the width of the upholstery and they are provided with inturned flange-like jaws 14 at their inner edges. The upholstery strips are disposed around or embrace the clips and their ends are looped or folded around the jaws, the loops being shown at 15, end portions 16 of the upholstery being disposed between the clips and the frame members.

ln assembling, the upholstery is secured at one end or edge by passing it around the clip and looping it over the jaw and the clip springably forced upon the frame member until the jaw thereof with the upholstery snubbingly I engaged around the same engages within the groove and against the supporting shoulder 17 defined by the groove. The opposite end or edge of the strip is similarly engaged with the opposed clip and the upholstery stretched or held taut and the clip springably engaged with the opposite frame member. The upholstery wrapped around the clips binds or clamps them to the frame members and clamps the portions of the upholstery disposed between the clip and frame member against the frame members.

l have used the term upholstery in its broad sense. The

upholstery illustrated -is in the form of relatively narrow strips but it may be a wide strip, that is, the upholstery may be of any desired width and while l prefer to use the up` holstery formed of plastic material, it may be of any desired fabric. The upholstery is very securely retained and at the `same time may be disengaged from the frame for the purpose of cleaning the upholstery or renewing it by the use of a screwdriver or similar tool. This operation may be performed by a relatively unskilled person.

ln the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the groove 9 is formed by cutting the groove in tubular stock. ln the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 the frame member designated generally by the numeral i9 is of extruded stoel: and the groove 2) is formed therein during the extruding operation. The groove defines a shoulder 21 corresponding to the shoulder 17 defined by the groove 9.

ln the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 the frame member 2.2 is formed of rolled sheet metal stock with overlapping edge portions ixedly secured together as by the welds 23. The underlapping edge of the stock is oiset at 24 and coacts with the edge 25 in forming the groove 26.

ln the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 the frame member 27 is provided with two longitudinal angularly spaced grooves 2S and the clip 29 is provided with two inturned These clips are desirably of a Width corre,

jaws 30 and 31. The upholstery is folded or looped around the jaw 30 while the jaw 31 is urged into engagement with the shoulder 32 defined by the second groove 28 by the tension and load upon the upholstery. This provides additional load resisting capacity for the clip but the applicant does not find that thisis essential for a satisfactory commercial structure such as a chair illustrated. p

VThe parts constituting my invention may be very economically produced, the clips being desirably formed as stampings Yor springable sheet steel. The upholstery may be very quickly applied and with a minimum of effort and skill on the part of the operator and without the aid of tools.

' To remove the upholstery for renewal or replacement, it is only necessary to use some tool such as, for example, a screwdriver to pry the jaws of the clip from their engagement with the shoulder portion of the groove and the clips being of springable material this may be done repeatedly should occasion require. The invention of this application is well adapted for lawn furniture or furniture exposed to the elements so that this upholstery removal and replacement feature is of practical Vim- 'portance I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations of my invention as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An article of furniture comprising spaced opposed frame members of circular section having longitudinalV grooves in the inner sides thereof, laterally spaced upholstery strips of ilexible material extending between and with the ends thereof supportedly disposed upon and around the other sides of the frame members, and springable C-shaped clips of a length approximating the width of the upholstery strips springably and clutchedly engaged around said frame members and having inturned flange-like groove engaging jaws, said upholstery strips being disposed around the clips with their ends looped around said jaws thereof and disposed between the clipsV disposed around the clips with their ends looped aroundV said jaws thereof and disposed between the clips and the frame members and the jaws engaged in the grooves, said grooves extending between and beyond said strips.

3. An article of furniture comprising spaced opposed frame members of circular section having longitudinal grooves in the inner sides thereof, upholstery of flexible material extending between and with the ends thereof supportedly disposed upon and around the outer sides of the frame members, and springable C-'shaped clips of a length approximating the width of the upholstery springably and clutchedly engaged around said frame members and having inturned flange-like groove engaging jaws, said upholstery being disposed around the clips with their ends looped around said jaws thereof and the jaws engaged in the grooves, said grooves extending between and beyond said strips.

4. An article of furniture comprising spaced `opposed frame members of circular section having longitudinal grooves in the inner sides thereof, upholstery of flexible material extending between and with the ends thereof supportedly disposed upon and around the outer sides of the frame members, and springableV C-shaped clips spring-'f ably and clutchedly engaged around said frame members and having inturned groove engaging jaws, said upholstery being disposed around the clips with their ends looped around said jaws thereof and the jaws engaged in the grooves, said grooves extending substantially beyond said clips and said upholstery material.. Y

5. An article of furniture comprising spaced opposed frame members having inwardly. facing longitudinal grooves, flexible upholstery extending between and with the ends thereof supportedly disposedupon and extending around the outer sides of said frame members, and

springable clips of a sectional shape corresponding substantially to the sectional shape of the frame members and of a length approximately the width of the upholstery springably engaged over said frame members and having inturned ange-like jaws at the inner edges thereof around which said upholstery ,isV looped with its ends'dis- Y posed between the clips-and the frame members, the jawsv with the upholstery looped thereon being disposed insaid grooves, said grooves extending beyond said clips and the edge of said upholstery material, the upholsterybeing disposed around the clips so that the load upon the upholstery acts to urge the clipsv to frame clutching position.

6. An article of furniture comprising `spaced opposed frameV members having inwardly facing longitudinal'- grooves, flexible upholstery extending betweenand'with the ends thereof supportedly disposed upon and extend-v ing around the outer sides of said frame'members, andv springable clips of a sectional shape corresponding substantially to the sectional shape of Vthe.frarne'mernber's springably engaged over said frame members and havinginturned jaws at the inner edges thereof around ,whichy said upholstery is looped with its ends disposed betweeny the clips and the frame members, the, jaws with theupholstery looped thereon being disposed in said grooves, said grooves extending beyond said clips and the 'edges of said upholstery material, the upholstery being disposed around the clips so that the load upon the upholstery acts to urge the clips to frame clutching position. .A

7. In combination, a tubular frame member havingy an external longitudinal groove, flexible upholstery supportedly disposed upon and wrapped aroundtheetop and the side of'said frame member opposite said,v groove,y andr a springable C-shape clip of a sectional shape generallycorresponding to the sectional shape of the frame member and of a length approximately the width-of the-upholstery kspringably engaged around said frame member and having an inturned jaw at the inner edge thereof and j around which said upholstery is Vlooped with its end disposed within the clip, the jawwith the'upholstery loopedv aroundY it being disposed in said groove, said ,groovesf extending beyond said clips and the edges Yof said upholstery 'materiaL and the upholstery being ldisposed around the clip so that the load upon the upholstery acts Y to urge the clip to frame clutching position.

8. In combination, a tubular frame member having p an external Alongitudinal groove, flexible upholstery supportedly disposed upon and Wrappedaround thel top and the side of said frame member opposite said groove, and`Y a springable C-shape clip of a sectional Yshape generallyv corresponding to the sectional shape of the frame Vmein-` ber and springably engaged around said frarnefmemb'er and having an inturned jaw at the inner'edge thereof and around which said upholstery is looped Withits end'disposed within the clip, the jaw with the upholstery loopedaround it being disposed in said groove, said grooves extending beyond said clips and the edges of sa1d upholstery material, and the upholstery being' disposed around/theV acts` to urge cl'p so'that the load upon Vthe upholstery the clip to Vframe clutching position. e Y

9. In combination, aV tubular frame member having;-

angularly spaced external longitudinal groovesyexible upholstery supportedly disposed upon and extending around the portion of the frame member having one of said grooves, a springable G-shape clip having inturned flange-like jaws at its side edges engaging said grooves under spring tension, the upholstery being wrapped around said clip with its end portion looped around the inner jaw of said clip, said grooves extending beyond said clips and the edges of said upholstery material, the jaws of the clip being disposed within the grooves and coacting therewith to prevent rotating movement of the clip on the frame member.

10, In combination, a frame member of circular section having a longitudinal external groove thereon, upholstery of flexible material disposed upon and around the outer side of the frame member, and a springable C-shaped clip of a length approximating the width of the upholstery disposed upon the frame member and springably engaged upon said frame member and having an inturned ilange-like groove engaging jaw, said upholstery being disposed on the outer side of the clip and with its end looped around said jaw, said grooves extending beyond said clips and the edges of said upholstery material, the jaw with the upholstery looped thereon engaged in the groove.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 967,628 Franklin Aug. 16, 1910 1,594,282 Trimble July 27, 1926 2,474,158 Neely June 21, 1949 2,582,579 Bedford Ian. 15, 1952 2,586,262 Robins Feb. 19, 1952 2,629,432 Hanslick Feb. 24, 1953 

